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Saturday Gardening And Puttering Thread [KT]

green blueberry.jpg

Don't eat green blueberries

The photo above, like the next one, is from the Saturday Gardening Thread Niece Network. There are pink blueberries now, but watch out for those green ones.

catypillarbluebr.jpg

Care to identify this caterpillar? Remember that some hairy caterpillars, especially the tufted ones, have toxic hairs. And be careful not to get caterpillar hairs in your eye.

While we are in the I.D. business, the famous Pat* in Idaho would like some help. She also sent in a photo of the Hummingbird Mix in question, but it deserves a little more attention than we can give it today:

Hope The Horde can help ID this plant. It isn't anything listed on my Territorial Seed Co. hummingbird mix packet. The closest thing I can think of is vervain. It's mostly prostrate, though it's grown vertically up through the nearby blueberry bush. It has tiny, 5-petal lavender flowers, hairy stems. I couldn't get a good closeup of the flower heads.

mystrlav.JPG

But here is a daylily photo she sent in earlier:

The daylily behind my garage had its last flower today (Thursday 7/25), but I managed to get this photo last week. Each stem is about 3 feet tall.

magdaylily.JPG

What do you have behind YOUR garage?

Puttering Around the Home

At one time, the Saturday Gardening Thread included workshop hobby content from time to time. Gardeners are often great at puttering, as the late Henry Mitchell (writing in WaPo) documented so well. But I am sure we have other putterers in The Horde as well. I thought it might be appropriate to re-introduce some content about household puttering. This week, I saw a piece on vital home maintenance tasks for summer. OK, that sounds kind of like work, but these are things that need occasional attention, and some of them can be turned into puttering if you try. Three involved dust and lint: Changing all your air filters, cleaning your refrigerator coils and cleaning out your dryer vent.

I once saw a display of art made primarily from dryer lint at a gallery in Newport Beach. It seemed to be mostly about texture: lumps and bumps projecting from the canvas, in various neutral tones, mostly. I expect that lint from refrigerator coils might be worked into that genre of art, along with a few bits of dried produce from under the refrigerator.

The other piece of art I remember from that show was a live man wearing a French maid's costume with a short skirt, tights, apron, cap, men's basketball shoes and a gas mask.

There are still dryer lint artists today. You can send colorful dryer lint to this artist, who goes for more realism than the art I saw. That is, if you do not wish to create some art yourself.

dryerrart.jpg

Doing any notable puttering today?

Butterfly Gardening

Hank Curmudgeon sent in this story on someone who takes puttering to a whole new level, the butterfly man of Evergreen Park, who has released more than 1,000 monarchs and swallowtails so far this year.

Erlich's front and back yards, his garage, part of his basement and his time are dedicated to growing and releasing butterflies, and tending to all the plants necessary to make that happen.

Last year he released 1,700 monarchs and 1,300 black swallowtails into the environment. Hundreds more got their start in his homegrown labs and were then transferred to his "recruits," friends and fellow gardeners who delight in monitoring the winged creatures until they are ready to be released.

He grows milkweed, fennel and parsley for caterpillars, and flowers for adult butterflies. He also started a garden at the public library, where he does presentations.

Along the south and west side of the library, tall compass plants sway their yellow blooms on the breeze, drawing bees and butterflies. Out front, a plot of zinnias, daisies, tropical milkweed and lantana are an example of what average gardeners might grow if they want to attract their own butterflies.

profusion apricot.jpg

Apricot Profusion Zinnia

Meet the compass plant:

One side of the library mentioned above is planted in Compass Plants, favorites of large, showy butterflies, along with its cousins, the Cup Plant and Rosin Plant.

Why compass plant? It all has to do with those lovely lobed leaves. When they first develop, the leaves of the compass plant are arranged randomly. However, within 2 to 3 weeks, the leaves will orient themselves so that their flat surfaces face east and west. They also stand vertically. This is such a reliable feature of the plant that past generations have learned to use it as a reliable way in which to orient themselves.

Another interesting aspect of Compass Plant biology is their life expectancy. Given the right conditions, individual plants have been known to live upwards of 100 years!

For gardens, I like the look of its colony-forming cousin, Rosin Weed, once used by Native Americans to produce chewing gum. Only grows 5 feet tall. Blooms before native sunflowers. Drought tolerant.

Unlike many composite flowers, which have fertile disk flowers and sterile ray flowers, Rosin Weed exhibits the exact opposite. It is the showy ray flowers that are fertile.

Rosin Weed attracts a variety of pollinators but it is especially relished by some of our smaller solitary bees.

rosin-weed_ma.jpg

Compass plant, in contrast, can grow up to 8 feet tall in moist soils. May need some neighbors to prop it up.

compass-plant_wi.jpg

Compass Plant with Joe Pye Weed and Prairie Blazing Star

Ladyhobbit's majestic Joe Pye Weed last week looked taller than 8 feet. Might be a good companion. By the way, if you missed Illiniwek's doe and fawn last week, take a look.

Incidentally, there are several species of plants that are called Joe Pye Weed. They were once all classified as Eupatorium.

They all have fluffy flowers. One plant that used to be called Eupatorium (and sometimes still is in the trade) is Conoclinium coelestinum, or Blue Mistflower. Sometimes known as Perennial Ageratum. It can become invasive if it likes its situation. Attracts bees and butterflies. It looks an awfully lot like Ageratum.

perenn agerat.jpg

But back to actual butterflies:

I was underwhelmed by the butterfly photos in the Butterfly Man article. So here is one by Snowdog. It is a fritillary. I think it is a Gulf Fritillary. It is on a Lantana blossom.

bytorsbroUCR frit.jpg

This in turn brings us to the larval host for Gulf Fritillaries (and a few other butterflies), passionflowers.

Mikee in Austin sent in this Passionflower photo. This species is likely more attractive to Gulf Fritillaries (for laying eggs) than the kind grown for fruit, or the red ones. He says the grills and windshields of his vehicles also attract Gulf Fritillaries.

Passionflowers are covering the fence line between my construction site for a new house and the little old lady's home next door.
She's been gardening in her East Austin home for three generations, since at least 1963.

passionfl.jpg

Her Iris are pretty, too. Some have sneaked onto my property and will be replanted as a front yard garden when the house is finished.

idirssss.jpg

S. Lynne sent in a photo of her outhouse flower, a kind of double Rudbekia:

My neighbors and I have these six to seven foot tall flowers in our yards. Some previous residents must have shared at one time. We finally discovered they were called Outhouse flowers. Guess they used to camouflage the throne in the olden days.

20190720_202934.jpg

That's really what it's called! It has been grown by real outhouses.

It was bred from an American wild flower. This one. The Cutleaf Coneflower.

rudbeckia_lacini.jpg

The single garden hybrid, Autumn Sun, is spectacular. Breeders can do wonders.

Rudbekias are caterpillar hosts for some of the brush-footed butterflies, like the Silvery Checkerspot. They are nectar plants for many, many butterflies.

Incidentally, those are hops growing behind S. Lynne's Outhouse Flowers. She says they are a new variety, Eureka.

Hops host the caterpillars of Question Mark and Comma butterflies. Some say it hosts the Red Admiral as well. Comparison of the Question Mark from the the Eastern Comma here.

The Edible Garden

From Garden & Gun Magazine (consider a subscription), a timely recipe utilizing fruits from the garden and orchard, Blackberry and Peach Cobbler. I usually make clafouti-type cobblers, but this one sounds great, too. The crust is similar to a shortbread cookie, with crystallized ginger and pecans added.

blacberrypeachcob.jpg

Make some homemade vanilla ice cream or whip some cream and have a little garden party. It's time.

Do you have a favorite cobbler recipe? I think this one would adapt nicely to certain plums.

Got anything going from the garden to the kitchen today?


If you would like to send information and/or photos for the Saturday Gardening Thread, the address is:

ktinthegarden
at g mail dot com

Include your nic unless you want to remain a lurker.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 01:24 PM




Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Epstein

Posted by: ... at August 10, 2019 01:31 PM (uEbPt)

2 Trimming the pear trees and weeding today boss!!

Posted by: Tonypete at August 10, 2019 01:33 PM (Y4EXg)

3 Good afternoon Greenthumbs.
Finally getting tomatoes, and the cucumbers are getting more than I can handle. After last year didn't get a dozen picking 6 a day. A few peppers but ones just starting to ripen.

Posted by: Skip at August 10, 2019 01:36 PM (BbGew)

4 Purty pitchers! The Boss planted some of her fall/winter garden the other day, collards/turnips, and they've already sprouted...2/3 days.

Posted by: BignJames at August 10, 2019 01:37 PM (ykq7q)

5 I pulled some weeds and tossed them to the minis today. I should mow later.

OT repeat of bleg to help a good animal rescue.
https://tinyurl.com/vote-for-Arlo This is a contest from the Animal rescue site and Wahl clippers to vote for best transformation from dirty to groomed dog.

Posted by: PaleRider is simply irredeemable at August 10, 2019 01:41 PM (vrfMC)

6 I've pretty much given up on yard work this summer.
Between not being home for weeks at a time, helping a friend with her broken shoulder/surgery/repair and then heat. Now, thank heavens, it's rained overnight some.
I'm just going to hang out here with the Horde and avoid TV.

Posted by: Winston a dreg of society at August 10, 2019 01:48 PM (FXmGD)

7 nice pics again ... I'm wondering what is growing across the road from the outhouse flowers. Something tall with a high trellis. All I can think of is hops, like for beer.

the passion flower looks like it has some alien DNA ... cool.

Posted by: illiniwek at August 10, 2019 01:50 PM (Cus5s)

8 PaleRider is simply irredeemable at August 10, 2019 01:41 PM

Arlo spent too much time outdoors before his rescue, looks like. What a sweetie.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at August 10, 2019 01:51 PM (BVQ+1)

9 illiniwek at August 10, 2019 01:50 PM

Yes, it's hops, like for beer. Or to grow butterfly caterpillars. Heh.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at August 10, 2019 01:52 PM (BVQ+1)

10 Blueberries are proof God loves us and wants us to be happy.

Posted by: Diogenes at August 10, 2019 01:53 PM (axyOa)

11 The cobbler pic reminds me of the best cobbler I ever made. We were staying at a vacation rental on Pender Island, BC (Canadian part of the San Juan Islands chain) and had tons of blackberry plants along the fenceline.

This we before the days of widely available wifi, so I used a cobbler recipe from a paperback "Joy of Cooking" that was left in the house. It was amazing.

On the same trip we had a fresh raspberry pie at the Crow and Gate Pub in Nanaimo. Raspberries picked from the pub's garden that morning. I can still taste it.

*Sighs. Gazes dejectedly on baked and deer-devastated yard in Texas.*

Posted by: Art Rondelet of Malmsey at August 10, 2019 01:55 PM (S+f+m)

12 The Garden and Gun" blueberry peach recipe is very good. There are a few the wife-person and I think are even better - like several on the web that have a cornmeal bottom crust and a cornmeal streusel top.

Posted by: Skookumchuk at August 10, 2019 01:56 PM (k3g2v)

13 Safety tip avoid hit a wasps net with a lawn tractor. Ask me how I know.

Posted by: Big V at August 10, 2019 01:56 PM (xV6Pj)

14 Thanks to Mikee in Austin for that great shot of the passion flower. It looks like something from another planet.

Posted by: 40 miles north at August 10, 2019 01:57 PM (o2vOl)

15 Well its overcast and breezy so I better take advantage and do a few outside things. Thanks for the lovely pics Kt and horde gardeners.

Posted by: PaleRider is simply irredeemable at August 10, 2019 01:59 PM (vrfMC)

16 Go to the range, or finish sanding the deck. Finish sanding the deck, or go to the range...

Posted by: Skookumchuk at August 10, 2019 02:00 PM (k3g2v)

17 Sports fan's lament == my gardening lament.

"Next Year ... surely, next year!"

Posted by: Adriane the Bad Poetry Critic ... at August 10, 2019 02:02 PM (LPnfS)

18 Great thread, KT. The compass plant was interesting. The ones that last 10+ years must turn into small trees, right?

Posted by: 40 miles north at August 10, 2019 02:04 PM (o2vOl)

19 So...I have a thriving basil plant, and I usually only need several leaves at a time. From where should I cut them to minimize damage to the plant?

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at August 10, 2019 02:05 PM (wYseH)

20 https://tinyurl.com/vote-for-Arlo

Done ...

Posted by: Adriane the Bad Poetry Critic ... at August 10, 2019 02:06 PM (LPnfS)

21 CBD -I have two, and usually take two leaves a day and take them all over from both. They don't seem to care.

Posted by: Skip at August 10, 2019 02:08 PM (BbGew)

22 >> 19 From where should I cut [the leaves] to minimize damage to the plant?

From your neighbor's basil plant?

Posted by: 40 miles north at August 10, 2019 02:10 PM (o2vOl)

23 Been coming across bunches of toads while mowing lately.

Posted by: Pedo Shop Customer at August 10, 2019 02:22 PM (oVJmc)

24 They don't seem to care.

Posted by: Skip at August 10, 2019 02:08 PM (BbGew)

That's what it seems like, but I know less than nothing about this stuff. All I do is cook and eat.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at August 10, 2019 02:22 PM (wYseH)

25 From your neighbor's basil plant?

Posted by: 40 miles north at August 10, 2019 02:10 PM (o2vOl)

My neighbor is an asshole, so that is certainly a good plan.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at August 10, 2019 02:23 PM (wYseH)

26 Big V at August 10, 2019 01:56 PM

Oh, no.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at August 10, 2019 02:25 PM (BVQ+1)

27 I always enjoy the photos in the gardening thread but that butterfly is spectacular. I just saved a copy to try out as a practice piece for different color mediums. (Usual disclaimer: I have no artistic ability but no one sees my results so the world remains safe.)

Posted by: JTB at August 10, 2019 02:25 PM (bmdz3)

28 CBD, further to Skip's suggestion, if the plant seems to be getting tall and lanky, or if it starts to blossom, pinch the tall parts or blossoms off to preserve the quality of the leaves.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at August 10, 2019 02:26 PM (BVQ+1)

29 And CBD, you can eat basil blossoms, too.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at August 10, 2019 02:27 PM (BVQ+1)

30 I always enjoy the photos in the gardening thread
but that butterfly is spectacular. I just saved a copy to try out as a
practice piece for different color mediums. (Usual disclaimer: I have no
artistic ability but no one sees my results so the world remains safe.)

Posted by: JTB at August 10, 2019 02:25 PM (bmdz3)

I'll bet that if you ask nicely, KT will send you the high-density original.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at August 10, 2019 02:28 PM (wYseH)

31 I know that is a tiny frog at the top of the post, but those are also BIG blueberries. In Washington State.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at August 10, 2019 02:28 PM (BVQ+1)

32 Not too much to report. The latest seeding of leaf lettuce is showing some green. The cherry tomatoes continue to produce just enough for our needs at the table and to cover the 'traveling expenses' getting them from the plants to the house.

Posted by: JTB at August 10, 2019 02:29 PM (bmdz3)

33 >> So here is one by Snowdog.
>> 27 that butterfly is spectacular

Agreed. Snowdog takes great shots.

Posted by: 40 miles north at August 10, 2019 02:30 PM (o2vOl)

34 CharlieBrown'sDildo at August 10, 2019 02:28 PM

Don't have it anymore. Might be able to retrieve it.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at August 10, 2019 02:30 PM (BVQ+1)

35 CBD nd KT, No need for a higher resolution photo of the butterfly. What I have is more than adequate for my purposes. Thanks anyway.

Posted by: JTB at August 10, 2019 02:38 PM (bmdz3)

36 I'm curious about the numerology behind Epstein ' death. Where's former FBI hack Frank Figliuzzi?

Posted by: Regular joe at August 10, 2019 02:40 PM (6/uwW)

37 My garden is full of weeds. I meant to get out there this morning before the heat and humidity got crazy but alas.. I spent my time here on the blog instead. Tomorrow morning for sure!

Posted by: Jewells45 at August 10, 2019 02:42 PM (dUJdY)

38 I haven't seen any forecasts for this fall and winter for our area. The 2020 OFA comes out in a few weeks. We noticed because under our oak tree are a lot of acorn caps but almost no acorns. I assume the squirrels are getting them before they drop. Last year there were so many acorns under the tree it was hazardous walking there. Don't know if this means we will have another lousy winter or if it is just a coincidence.

Posted by: JTB at August 10, 2019 02:45 PM (bmdz3)

39 >> 37 My garden is full of weeds.

I know a hoe is supposed to be the right tool for that, but I prefer a pickaxe for weeding. Hoes are good for other activities.

Posted by: 40 miles north at August 10, 2019 02:46 PM (o2vOl)

40 I spent my time here on the blog instead. Tomorrow morning for sure!
Posted by: Jewells45 at August 10, 2019 02:42 PM (dUJdY)


Jeffery Epstein's murderer has ALOT to answer for!
QED.

Posted by: Adriane the Bad Poetry Critic ... at August 10, 2019 02:46 PM (LPnfS)

41 And with that, having replaced the thermal fuse in the dryer ... I now have to get caught up with the laundry.

Posted by: Adriane the Bad Poetry and Bad Logic Critic ... at August 10, 2019 02:48 PM (LPnfS)

42 Heh, Twitter Lefties are trying to bury #ClintonBodyCount under one with Trump instead.

For the side with all the artists, they just are not creative at all.

Posted by: Hikaru at August 10, 2019 02:48 PM (vmRc0)

43 People, this is the gardening thread. Keep Epstein out of here, please and thanks.

Posted by: Vendette at August 10, 2019 02:50 PM (OgGoW)

44 >> 23 Been coming across bunches of toads while mowing lately.

OMG! A sure sign of global dampening!

Posted by: 40 miles north at August 10, 2019 02:50 PM (o2vOl)

45 43 ... "People, this is the gardening thread. Keep Epstein out of here, please and thanks."

THIS!!! Thanks.

Posted by: JTB at August 10, 2019 02:52 PM (bmdz3)

46 Thanks Adrian.

Posted by: PaleRider is simply irredeemable at August 10, 2019 02:52 PM (vrfMC)

47 There's a blueberry farm a couple of towns away from me that sells wild ones.

BEST I have ever had ++++++++++++


Sussmans Blueberry farm

Posted by: REDACTED at August 10, 2019 02:53 PM (+8+gB)

48 45 43 ... "People, this is the gardening thread. Keep Epstein out of here, please and thanks."

thread dies

Posted by: REDACTED at August 10, 2019 02:56 PM (+8+gB)

49 Kudos to the butterfly guy, and it's great that he's got others helping him out.

Posted by: Vendette at August 10, 2019 02:58 PM (OgGoW)

50 People, this is the gardening thread. Keep Epstein out of here, please and thanks.

What about using him for compost?

Posted by: Mr. Peebles at August 10, 2019 02:59 PM (oVJmc)

51 For winter reading I need to find my copy of "Founding Gardeners". Haven't read it in some years and I enjoy the accounts of Washington, Jeffereson and others and their efforts at farming and gardening. I think Washington's experiments and fascination with gardening says more about the man than many war time accounts.

Posted by: JTB at August 10, 2019 02:59 PM (bmdz3)

52 Ouch! from Idaho's Treasure Valley: We had a wind and thunder/lightning storm last night. We went out to check the apple trees today, and found 2 major branches down off the Golden Delicious. And we were *so* looking forward to a heavy crop, so we could make lots of applesauce and cider and hard cider... We'll leave the branches where they are for now, to see whether the remaining attachment to the trunk is enough to keep parts of the branches alive. Worst case, we'll have to take the entire top out of the tree.

Well, we'd been making plans to put in a 6-tree orchard next year, so it looks like the first 3 we put in will be apple trees. Husband will set up the irrigation lines this fall before our water gets turned off, so it can be ready for next spring's planting. (The other 3 trees we were thinking of, were 2 pears and a self-fertile peach like Elberta.)

Current season is zucchini - cucumber - green beans. We canned up 6 pints of bread & butter pickle spears this week, and I canned up 5 pints of 3-Bean Salad from the green beans (with store-bought cans of garbanzos and dark red kidney beans).

Given all this canning, and the fact that the pantry is getting pretty full, husband had the great idea to buy a pantry cabinet for extra storage. We'll shift some of our jars into the bottom half, and put some equipment (like beer brewing tools, and our box of vegetable seed packets) into the top half.

We took one of the 2 cloth pots of Yukon Gem potatoes and harvested it - not because we thought it was ready, but because the butternut squash vine was overrunning it. Got four and a half pounds. We ate a few of them, cut up in small chunks, boiled (with thyme sprigs in the water), and buttered - quite good! We'll have to see if the Yukon Golds taste that good - otherwise we'll switch over to all Yukon Gems! (Haven't tried the fingerlings yet.)

Our red raspberries have 2 seasons, and the second one is just starting. We're still watching the corn and the watermelons for ripeness. I'm watching the tomatoes, and we've found one with some blush, but we're going to be waiting at least another week for those.

Posted by: Pat* at August 10, 2019 03:00 PM (2pX/F)

53 NOOD

You're welcome.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at August 10, 2019 03:02 PM (3H9h1)

54 And be careful not to get caterpillar hairs in your eye.

In the late '50's, the PLATTERS had a #1 hit with "Caterpillar Hairs get in My Eyes"

Posted by: JT at August 10, 2019 03:02 PM (arJlL)

55 "And be careful not to get caterpillar hairs in your eye. "

I hate it when that happens.

Posted by: zombie Brezhnev at August 10, 2019 03:07 PM (Tnijr)

56 I have five butterfly bushes in my yard, four in the front, one on the side. Four of the five are Black Knights, my favorite. They emit a strong perfume that appeals to just about every pollinator in the area. Himself added the fifth butterfly bush and promptly pitched the identifying marker, so I have no idea what flavor butterfly bush it is. However, it is a very strong grower and attracts even more pollinators than the Black Knights even though it doesn't have as strong an odor.

I have several lantana in pots. Here in Omaha, they are annuals. The first freeze, they die. I have a pot of marigolds simply because I like marigolds and they are hardy enough to survive most freezes up to Thanksgiving. When everything else has croaked, my marigolds are still hanging in there.

Every year, I plant a pot of parsley for the swallowtails to lay their eggs on. Last year, I successfully raised three generations of Baby swallowtails.

Out front, in the easement between the street and the sidewalk, I have two humongous Russian sages.I have to practically shove my face into the bushes to smell them, but the bees go absolutely insane for them. At any given moment there are at least half a dozen different varieties of bees visiting their favorite grocery store.

I have a bird feeder off to the corner of the yard closest to the house. Last year, I was too lazy to yank all of the sunflower sprouts, so I wound up with a small forest of sunflowers. I was delighted to discover that goldfinches love sunflowers. Like purple coneflowers, the goldfinches seem to consider the young, juicy centers before they've hardened into actual seeds a delicacy. I deliberately let the sunflowers grow this year, and the goldfinches are back.

I have about seven pots clumped by the side of the driveway that I call my sensory garden. Every year, I plant rosemary, lavender, thyme, curry plant, sweet basil and something else. I love to run my hands through the various herbs, catching all the scents. I have a Mother-of-Thyme plant that has survived at least four Nebraska winters with no special care. It's starting to look a little ratty this year, so I might pull it next spring, replace the soil and plant a new one. The only herb the bees are interested in is the sweet basil. Against all suggestions, I let mine flower and the bees go berzerk.

So that's my butterfly and bee garden. Sadly, I just can't get down on my knees to do any serious gardening these days. (I'm 29, and the knees just won't take it any more.) It's too much work to get to the back yard any more. My house is built on a steep hill. I see everybody else's beautiful flowers, but I'm pretty much confined to the limited area of my front yard and what I can grow in pots these days. I've even cut back on the number of pots.

Posted by: Captain Josepha Sabin at August 10, 2019 03:09 PM (eP3XU)

57 Pat* at August 10, 2019 03:00 PM

Sometimes gardening challenges are dramatic.

Sorry about your tree. Still hoping to get some feedback on the mystery plant.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at August 10, 2019 03:09 PM (BVQ+1)

58 He grows milkweed, fennel and parsley for caterpillars, and flowers for adult butterflies.

We noticed the swallowtail caterpillars like the bronze fennel and mammoth dill the best. Found a little one on the dill this morning. Last year I counted about a dozen or so of them in my dill patch. They ate the whole thing. I had to go buy dill to make pickles.

Posted by: Flyover, back home, the beach was great! at August 10, 2019 03:10 PM (B5K06)

59 Epstein is pushing up Daisies.He used to push up wallflowers....................

Posted by: saf at August 10, 2019 03:10 PM (5IHGB)

60 Captain Josepha Sabin at August 10, 2019 03:09 PM

Your garden sounds absolutely wonderful.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at August 10, 2019 03:18 PM (BVQ+1)

61 Flyover, back home, the beach was great! at August 10, 2019 03:10 PM

Hard to keep enough dill for a passel o' swallowtail caterpillars. Maybe you should have some designated caterpillar plants.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at August 10, 2019 03:28 PM (BVQ+1)

62 Other thing starting to do is harvest dill seeds, when brown I cut off whole head and place in a wine bottle paper bag, as they dry and fall off the seeds are all in the bottom.

Posted by: Skip at August 10, 2019 03:51 PM (BbGew)

63 Skip at August 10, 2019 03:51 PM

For pickles, the flavor is much better if you use the seed heads before they turn completely brown. Freeze them for a while if you have to.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at August 10, 2019 04:05 PM (BVQ+1)

64 The story of the butterfly farmer is great! What a beneficial project. What is best about summer? Blackberries, peaches, butterflies and bees. And the plants they thrive on.

Posted by: kallisto at August 10, 2019 04:35 PM (knNho)

65 CBD snip as much of the basil as you want, the plant can take it. If you want seeds for next year don't cut the blossom stem, that's what produces the seed.

Posted by: kallisto at August 10, 2019 04:41 PM (knNho)

66 I learned new stuff again today on the gardening thread. Thanks to KT and the contributors.

Posted by: Cumberland Astro at August 10, 2019 06:19 PM (d9Cw3)

67 I am off in a few days to visit friends and my dwindling family in the ancestral home of northern Michigan. Fortuitously this trip coincides with the Paradise MI annual blueberry festival which I will attend in hopes of pigging out on various blueberry-based delicacies. The flavor of store-bought blueberries pales in comparison to the small but extremely tasty version you find in the wilds of Michigan's UP. I am salivating as I write this.

Posted by: Clean Willie at August 10, 2019 09:25 PM (TwCsL)

68 Test 1

Posted by: ShainS -- find me at 88 Shades of Spades HQ at August 11, 2019 04:17 PM (WqPYg)

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World Muslim Leaders Apologize for Nick Berg's Beheading
Michael Moore Goes on Lunchtime Manhattan Death-Spree
Milestone: Oliver Willis Posts 400th "Fake News Article" Referencing Britney Spears
Liberal Economists Rue a "New Decade of Greed"
Artificial Insouciance: Maureen Dowd's Word Processor Revolts Against Her Numbing Imbecility
Intelligence Officials Eye Blogs for Tips
They Done Found Us Out, Cletus: Intrepid Internet Detective Figures Out Our Master Plan
Shock: Josh Marshall Almost Mentions Sarin Discovery in Iraq
Leather-Clad Biker Freaks Terrorize Australian Town
When Clinton Was President, Torture Was Cool
What Wonkette Means When She Explains What Tina Brown Means
Wonkette's Stand-Up Act
Wankette HQ Gay-Rumors Du Jour
Here's What's Bugging Me: Goose and Slider
My Own Micah Wright Style Confession of Dishonesty
Outraged "Conservatives" React to the FMA
An On-Line Impression of Dennis Miller Having Sex with a Kodiak Bear
The Story the Rightwing Media Refuses to Report!
Our Lunch with David "Glengarry Glen Ross" Mamet
The House of Love: Paul Krugman
A Michael Moore Mystery (TM)
The Dowd-O-Matic!
Liberal Consistency and Other Myths
Kepler's Laws of Liberal Media Bias
John Kerry-- The Splunge! Candidate
"Divisive" Politics & "Attacks on Patriotism" (very long)
The Donkey ("The Raven" parody)
News/Chat